Full Circle
by Bustahead
Summary: The sequel to The Danger of Lust. Please don't flame because I'm STILL a newbie at this. Yaoi warning. So watch out. Can't say that I didn't tell you so if you DO flame!


Full Circle

****

It's been two months since Reiko had his accident. I still have his ashes, a morbid reminder of everything that had passed between us. I sigh softly. I haven't ever felt the same about anything since he di-, since he left. I keep telling myself that he isn't dead, I keep trying to keep hope in sight but there's always that voice that tells me that he's gone, and that he's never going to come back to me. Is there any reason why he should? After all, I used him and took advantage of him.

Each time I close my eyes, I remember odd little things. I remember the half smile Reiko would often give, usually in times of great stress. I remember how calm he'd try to act, even when panic was flitting over his eyes. I remember how he'd moan as I…

_That wasn't moaning. That was screaming. He was begging you to stop._

I open my eyes and shiver. Every time I begin to have memories, a voice that sounds gleeful and as though it is constantly cackling hastens to correct me and replaces my memories with other new visions. I hate it; it's almost as though this other side of me takes pleasure in seeing me in pain and grieving over my loss. Oh if Reiko could see me now…what would he think?

_He wouldn't think. He can't. He's dead. He's dead because of you and your stupidity and your lust. You killed him…it was your entire fault._

Shut up…

_What's wrong? Hiding from the truth? Afraid to face up to it? Afraid to face up to what you are? What you're becoming?_

Shut up! Just shut up, dammit!

_You're a murderer. You killed your best friend. Why? Because your demonic blood is strengthening…_

'SHUT UP!'

'Dante?' It's Trish. She's been acting like the woman who has her face. Ever since that day, she's always been trying to get through to me, trying to take care of me. It's nice in a way, but in others it's just demoralizing…I know she's worried about me but I can't seem to bring myself to say anything that may lessen her concern for me. I try not to let my grief pass over my face; I don't want her to know about what passed between us. The memories are sacred; they're only for me and him.

_He can't remember…he's dead. Get it through your thick skull._

'I'm fine, Trish.'

'I heard shouting…'

'I'm fine.'

'Dante…' Her voice holds a faint plea to it. I refuse to answer her. When she next speaks, she's crying. 'I know how you're feeling; he was my friend too! Please please come out! I need you…please…' I sigh softly to myself. Reiko _was,_ is, _was _does it matter? Reiko's a friend of Trish as well. I have been selfish. But he wasn't just a friend to me. He was much much more.

_Yeah…he was your sex toy, wasn't he?_ I ignore the voice sounding in my head and open the door, carefully arranging my face so she won't suspect. She looks at me, those sapphire eyes filled with tears. She latches onto me, sobbing loudly. I hold her wordlessly. If I could express my feelings, I'd be doing the same thing.

_So why don't you show your feelings?_

I can't.

_What's stopping you? Shame? _I close my eyes, rub Trish's back in slow circles trying to sooth her, yet being unused to such a task, I don't know whether it helps or not.

'It's okay, Trish. It's okay. It'll be okay.' The words are meaningless, but they sound comforting all the same. I murmur them over and over again, liking how they sound. Perhaps if I repeat them over and over again I'll believe them.

_Yeah…you keep telling yourself that, Jackass. _I close my eyes as I hold her close, and will myself yet again to ignore the voice in my head. Trish opens her eyes slowly.

'Dante?'

'Yeah?'

'You're tense.' I blink. I have turned rigid without even realizing it. A dreamy look suddenly passes over her eyes and she smiles. It holds no humour in it, just an awful hope that she'll wake and find that all that's happened is an awful dream. I know the look only too well; it seems to be constantly plastered on my face. It's a wonder Trish hasn't already noticed, she's usually so observant.

'It's odd…' she says breathily. 'You'd think there'd be more ash…'

'Trish…' I whisper. It seems to break some spell. Her eyes become bright once more and they fill with fresh tears as she turns away. I'm not offended; I can understand why. She's the only person I have met who has the same kind of personality as me; therefore she deals with grief in the same manner as I…alone. It doesn't feel right some other way, even though, just like now, she's tried other ways of dealing with her grief. But it seems so much more painful, and it makes it so much more real when you see similar looks on other people's faces. When you turn to other people for help with this kind of thing, you need something steadying, not to see a mirror of how you feel internally. She's upset and in shock over Reiko's…accident. I'm upset and more or less in shock. It doesn't help. Sometimes, it feels so much better to stay in a fantasy world where you can keep hope alive that this will all be some terrible awful nightmare, and that when you wake, everything will be back to normal, as though none of it ever happened. Some may say that this is destructive…but eventually, you just realize one day, and after that, there's no going back to that dogged hope.

I look towards the bathroom door. It's odd really. You would have thought that he would have gone down in a battle, not because he committed suicide. I knew he was depressed and in mourning of the death of his parents and the loss of his humanity but I never thought that he'd actually go so far as to kill himself because of it.

_He didn't kill himself because of that. He felt sad about it, sure. I mean, that was his family after all, right? But he had more or less gotten over the grief and he had accepted it as fact. He killed himself because you forced him into it. You killed him. You forced him to death. It was you._

No…he never said anything though. If it was me, then why didn't he tell me? Why didn't he? I would have listened and I would have stopped if it wasn't for you possessing me!

_He did try and tell you though. You say that you would have listened but when he tried to tell you, you didn't listen to him. He tried so many times to tell you but you were blinded. You let me control you. _

I didn't "let" you do anything! This is not my fault! Don't blame me for your brutality! He never told me how he felt! I'm not evil and I didn't kill him! You forced me into being controlled!

_Usually though, you retain the memories of what happens during your transformed state. During your possession._

I never turned into a demon though while I was with him…

_No…you didn't have to because you no longer need to. Sure you might get an energy boost and become more powerful when you look like a demon. But looks don't matter, Dante. One doesn't have to look like a demon to have a demon's powers._

You killed him, not me. You possessed me.

_No. I acted on what you wanted like how I always do. When you get desperate, I come to play. When you get angry, I come again. When you wish to slay, I slay. When you lust…_

Shut up…

_I acted on what you wanted this time too. Your lust was a strong emotion and so it got channelled into me, your demon. So many emotions, so many desires. So much carnal lust finally forced me from my dormancy. I took action but I did only what you wanted me to do. You killed him for you couldn't control your lust and your desire. You were weak and he died because of your weakness._

I remain silent, not even bothering to reply to the demon. I sigh softly and go back into my room, only wanting to be alone with my thoughts and memories. Odd really, that memories are constantly fading and growing, and are really nothing more than a passing dream. Yet I cling onto them, afraid to let go.

It's hard to know what to do now. It doesn't feel as though anything will ever be the same again. There was a time before, but so much time has passed between then and now, that I know I will never be able to go back to it. I wish now, more than ever, that I could go back in time, change things, and never have met him. No…wait…that's not right. There's been a time before this that I've always wanted to change. The death of my mother. Yet what could I have possibly done? I was too young, too inexperienced to know how to help and how to save her from her fate. I swore to myself that I would never let anyone get too close to me. A stupid vow to make. I'm part human after all, it's in human nature to want to be near someone.

_Yet it is also in a demon's nature to kill…and to laugh at bloodshed. It is in a demon's nature to be callous, and unemotional. Do not let your human feelings get the better of you. You're stronger than that._

I was always taught that showing your emotion made you stronger. You were strong enough to show them.

_And only five minutes ago, you told me that you can't show your emotion. Not in front of that demon woman. Are you weak then? You've just as good as said it yourself. _

…

I have never felt so at odds with myself, as though there are two parts of me that cannot or will not be melded together. I feel torn apart and confused. It's strong to show emotion, yet I cannot. It's weak to show emotion, yet strong at the same time. I don't understand any of this. I don't even understand why I do what I do anymore. I got revenge on the demons a thousand times over. What drives me on now?

God help me. Please don't let this demon get stronger. Reiko already died because of this thing inside me. I don't want any more to suffer as he did.

_Again, you become hypocritical…I thought you said he was depressed because of his past?_

No…I know now. You were right…and wrong. I didn't kill him. It was you.

_Believe what you want. You'll just contradict yourself yet again. Your weakness and pathetic existence sickens me. _

Shut up! Why the hell can't you leave me alone?

_Alas, it is the bane of our existence. We are stuck with each other whether you like it or not. The blood of your father, Sparda runs through you. He gave you this gift by fathering you and yet you wish to toss it aside. Your father would be most displeased, I should imagine._

My father died a long time ago. He cannot feel anything anymore.

_Just as Reiko can no longer feel or share your memories. You have to move on. He was nothing to you. I wish you'd stop trying to delude yourself. It's what got you into this mess in the first place._

…How can you be so cold?

_I'm the demon side. I'm not human. It's in our natures to be cold, remember? Yet your father defied all that. He was filled with emotion. He let his mind and heart guide him constantly. Yes, he was blessed with having a soul, and a heart of good. In every race, there is always the exception. I know you are also an exception. I can feel it in you. The amount of times you have constantly fought for humanity's side._

Heh…you think I'm an exception when you constantly tell me that I just drove a man to death! You are just as hypocritical as I.

Perhaps I am. Does it matter to you? It will give you another excuse, another reason as to why you hate me. You consider me a curse. Yet I have guided you and have saved your life many a time. Funny old world, isn't it?

Hilarious…

_A curse that saves your life. Who would have thought it?_

---

****

I lie down to go to sleep, exhausted by my internal arguing. Even in my sleep, the demon refuses to leave me alone.

_What's wrong? Tired already? I should imagine so, the demon blood inside you is becoming stronger after all; it does tend to sap you of your strength._

I try not to listen. Yet it's impossible to ignore the voices that speak in your head. It's impossible to ignore the truth too, no matter how far you try to run it will always come after you and pull you to the ground like a dog. It's hard to ignore it, because I feel the pulse of my demon blood within me. I can feel everything. Everything seems to be becoming so much more clearer now. My sight, my sense of smell and my hearing were always far superior that those of a normal human being, yet now it's becoming even more powerful. Not only that, but my strength is increasing; I end up breaking things purely by accident. Putting a mug onto the table results in said mug getting smashed to pieces, and long jagged lines running through the oak of the table. It seems that even inanimate objects are no longer safe against my strength.

_You're a killing machine. You're a natural born killer. Nothing is safe around you. Your friends certainly aren't._

What do you suggest I do then?

_I don't know. I hold no answers._

Yet you seem to hold all the taunts and jibes. The demon remains silent, as though resting. I know better than to hope. In a few minutes, it will begin to talk again, and I'll be one step closer to turning completely and utterly insane. I know what I should do. Reiko was the first to die because of me, no, my demon growing stronger. Who'll be next? Trish? I can't allow that. I can't allow myself to stay here, knowing the whole time that another close friend will be in constant danger. Yet, even though I know this, I can't gain the energy I need to get up, shrug my coat on, pull my boots on and pack a few bags. I can't find the strength in myself to get up and leave and set up shop somewhere else. My logic argues with me, telling me that no matter where I go, Trish will always find a way to follow me, and will always find me, no matter where I go. I could travel to the Underworld, and Trish would still be there. It's pointless, where do I go? What do I do now?

I sigh, my feelings of guilt and anger and frustration weighing heavily upon me. Before I realize what I'm doing, I'm lying on my bed, closing my eyes, praying to God that I won't wake once I fall asleep. I pray to Him, asking me for deliverance, begging that I won't have to dream if or when I fall asleep. Day starts to break, and the sun filters through the curtains, dappling the floor in sunlight. A heavy weight starts to bear down on my head, I want to open my eyes, but I can't anymore.

Everything seems to turn dark, but then I see a blurry image. It gets clearer slowly, as my mind focuses on it. It's Reiko. He looks towards me through dull eyes, his face is drawn and pale. He watches me for a little while before his eyes fill with a heavy sadness.

'I trusted you.' His voice is like a knell. It fills me with a sense of sudden dread. 'I trusted you and you threw that all back in my face. Why? What did I do to merit all this?' His eyes bleed into a dark crimson, his eyes narrow as he regards me balefully. A small growl escapes his throat before he turns his back on me.

'Wait! Hey! This _isn't_ my fault! I was possessed! You can't blame this on me!' I ran after him, determined to clear my name, determined to drive my point home. I didn't do this, it wasn't my fault. Before I can move any closer to him, something wraps around my body, pulling me back into the shadows. Reiko turns around slowly, his eyes back to their normal hazel colour. All this time, there's a strange sound in the background, I can barely hear it but it is there all the same.

A strange sensation passes over me. I'm cold, weak, everything is being slowly drained from my body. I can't think anymore. I can barely breathe. I'm shaking. I call out his name weakly. He turns around, to stare at me. No emotion passes over his face.

'How does it feel? To drown in your own sins? To drown in your own guilt? You killed me.'

'NO!'

'Dante?'

I sit bolt upright, panting and shaking slightly. I run trembling hands over my face before cursing under my breath. What the hell is happening to me? I haven't had nightmares like that for a while now. In fact, the last time I had them was after the Mallet Island incident…

I suddenly realize what that noise was in my dream. It was the distant sound of the agency's phone ringing. Trish is talking downstairs on the phone, it was she who had called my name and had woken me from my nightmare. I hadn't got there in time, and now she was taking the call. I relax slightly at this sense of normality. Despite all the changes that will happen, and in spite of the fact that people will come and go, it doesn't seem as though Trish will ever leave. My job won't ever end. It gives me an odd sense of comfort. Trish and I will get through this together somehow. And to think that only a short while ago, I had contemplated on leaving!

Everything's going to be okay…eventually.

_Heh…if you really believe that you can run away from your guilt, then you have another thing coming._

And just like that, my comfort vanishes. I could run away from this guilt if only I could run away from this demon inside me. But to do that would mean running away from a part of who I am, and running away from the lineage of my father. What the hell am I meant to do?

I growl but then at the sound of Trish's voice, I dress and walk downstairs. It feels like an age since I've been out of my room. There seems to be more dust than usual. I look around and frown before I notice a photo frame. I pick it up and stare at the photo of my mother. Strange…did I move it to the base of the stairs? I can't remember anymore. Everything that I've done or said seems so distant from me. I don't even feel alive anymore. I feel like some kind of zombie.

_And this feeling will only get worse as I get stronger._

…

'Dante! Guess what! We've got a job!' Trish comes running up, her sapphire eyes burning brilliantly. 'There's a high payment involved too! This is what we've been waiting for!' I look numbly towards the stacks of letters and bills that have been piling up. Trish is right, this is the job we've been waiting for. Strange though, looking at the amount of bills that have been slowly but surely and steadily coming through our letter box. Didn't I pick them up some time ago?

When was the last time I walked out of my room anyway? Did I really shut myself up in my room for so long? Trish continues to watch me eagerly.

'Come on! Let's go!' Her face falls as I shake my head.

'You stay here. I'll deal with the job. Just give me the address, the name of the guy and the phone number. Try and get this place cleaned up.' I watch the expressions on her face. She looks as though I've just punched her in the stomach, she stares at me in shock, her mouth hanging open, eyes wide. I turn away from her pleading eyes, holster my guns and shoulder my sword before leaving.

---

Outside, the wind billows and shrieks around me as I roar down the streets on my bike. Reiko never liked motorcycles, he claimed they were too noisy for him, and that they weren't "classy" enough for him. He told me he preferred cars, and that one of his main reasons was because he could listen to music as he drove.

_Thinking again, Dante?_

Not you again!

_Heh…did you really think that I was gone? When are you going to realize that I will always be here? You can't banish part of your existence, you can't banish blood._

…So what if I was thinking? What are you going to do about it? Are you going to throw more taunts and jeer at me some more? I'm tired of your shit, seriously.

_You know…you're not the only one who's ever had to go through this kind of pain, Dante. Trish is going through the same thing. Sparda had to go through the same thing also at some point, I'm sure of it._

You know nothing of how I feel.

_You'd think that, wouldn't you? Again you seem to be unable to grasp the concept that I have access to your thoughts. I know how you feel._

Oh yeah? Is that so?

I know that the thing that hurts you the most is the fact that you can never see him again, that you can never hear his voice again. No matter how much you grieve, nothing can bring him back. The weight in your heart starts to get worst and worst, it seems to cloud your vision. You want to stop living, you want to give up and you want to lose all social life you ever had. Instead, you want to stay alone, with the memories playing themselves over and over again.

If you know all this, then why do you insist on aggravating me?

Just because I know your present feelings, it does not mean I understand your feelings. Knowing and understanding are two very very different things.

I sigh softly before I kill the engine and look up at the tall foreboding mansion that lies before me. I stare down at the slip of paper in my gloved hands and check the address. Seeing that I am at the right place, I knock down the kick stand and stare up at it. Trish had phoned me after I had left, not to yell at me and berate me for my rudeness, but to tell me what the mission entails. It appears as though some old neighbour had recently been hearing strange noises from the mansion and was concerned. He described the noises as being "something ethereal, something that no beast living could ever make." It wasn't usually my kind of job to play ghostbusters, but the man had given the password, and had offered us a price that we would have been stupid to refuse.

Yet looking at the old mansion now, I felt a wave of excitement as well as dread wash over me. Something about the old building appeals to me, and I find myself drawn to it. It's not crumbling, like most of the stereotypical mansions often seen in films. It doesn't look haunted either; there's no gargoyles or anything of that type of architecture. I pad through the gate, it swings on its hinges silently. I suddenly notice something odd; there's no birds singing. It's too quiet, the whole place reeks of death.

A crow suddenly caws from behind me. I whip around, my gun pointed at it. It cocks its head to one side before giving vent to its harsh call and flapping off like a tattered piece of black cloth. Maybe I was wrong about the no birds singing part.

What's wrong, Dante? Acting a little high-strung, are we? Nervous?

No…There's just something about my place. I can sense something familiar about it.

I should think you can.

What's that meant to mean? The demon makes a scoffing sound before turning silent. I try the lock of the front door; it swings open easily. I blink before I stare around the dusty hallway. A chandelier hangs from the centre of the ceiling; dust and cobwebs hang from it. It might have looked beautiful before, but the dust has settled upon it, and has tarnished it, making it seem nothing more than a part of the background rather than an object to be admired.

And that's when I hear it.

A soft moan, barely audible, coming from upstairs. I frown before I creep up the stairs, testing each floorboard before I set my full weight onto it. Soon I'm upstairs, looking around the upper corridor, wondering which way to turn. I tense and wait, listening, straining my senses, hoping that I will hear another sound, to give me some sort of guidance in this alien yet familiar place.

You still don't know why it seems so familiar, do you?

Can't you leave me in peace for one second?

I could…but that would be taking the fun from everything, wouldn't it?

You have a poor sense of the word.

And you have a poor sense of smell.

I ignore it, not wanting it to bait me any further. If I ever find any way to escape from its taunts, I'd take the chance, and I wouldn't care about the consequences.

Oh really? Is that so? Well there's one way I can tell you about. You should be very familiar with it, shouldn't you? It's the same path your recent toy took, isn't it?

For God's sake, shut up!

Do you really believe that He exists?

I'm not in the mood for a religious debate on whether or not God exists. A devil like the thing that lives in me wouldn't understand the first thing about such matters anyway. I creep into the room directly in front of me. It's bare and empty; there's no furniture, just layers upon layers of dust. Somehow, I feel an urge to walk into the centre of the room. I usually trust my gut instincts, and this time is no different. I walk into the centre of the room and stare around, nothing changes around me. I frown slightly before crossing over so then I'm staring out of the window. The garden outside is wild and unkempt, the grass is so long that if I were to walk through it, one would be able to easily tell where I had stepped due to the flattened grass. Weeds are everywhere. Something suddenly catches my eyes. The only flowers that there are in the garden are roses. Black roses.

Suddenly, I'm aware of the smell of death. I pace around the room, unsure of myself when a floorboard breaks under my weight. I quickly stand to one side and peer down the hole I've created when I see something shining there. It's not big enough, so I widen the gap by breaking more of the rotten wood. I'm surprised that I didn't notice it before. I'm usually a hell of a lot more observant than that. What's happening to me? First the demon inside is getting stronger and now I can't keep my thoughts straight enough to try and notice the smallest clue to help me in my mission.

Finally, the hole is big enough to let me investigate. I carefully climb down into it and frown when I see what appears to be a small crevice set into the underside of the floorboards that remain intact above me. Inside it, a small orb twinkles, as though winking at me, as though telling me to take it. I frown slightly, knowing what happened last time I took a relic without asking; I had found myself fighting a horde of puppets. It's true that they were easy to dispose of, but that's beside the point. I'm not entirely sure what to do. Should I leave it alone and miss out on what might possibly be a clue or a key? Or should I take it regardless of the risks involved.

Hey, Dante! Since when have you been scared of risks? Since when have you cared about danger? You usually laugh in the face of it, right? And spew out some kind of corny pun. Where's all that gone?

That decides me. Uttering a small growl of impatience, I stretch out my hand and grab the orb.

Almost immediately, the walls seem to fall away from me, my surroundings start to warp and change. Soon I find that I'm not stuck in between floorboards anymore, now I'm standing upright, in the centre of a room carpeted with red. The floor seems to be strewn with all kinds of treasure, necklaces, pearls, rubies, everything you could think of. I frown slightly before I begin to pace around the room, waiting for some kind of idea to spring into my brain so then I can act upon it. Nothing seems to be coming, so I sigh and take a better stock of my surroundings.

The walls are covered from floor to ceiling with tapestries and paintings, all of them huge, so then you can't actually see the real colour of the walls upon which they stand. The tapestries are beautiful, usually oriental or Asian in design, their patterns twisting and intertwining around one another. The paintings however, are a mix between beautiful and just plain ugly. If there's one picture showing a beautiful woman, there's another picture on the opposite wall showing a demon of some sort, sitting in the same pose. A reflection of what their true self is, and what the mirage is. A mirror within a painting.

One painting however, catches my interest immediately. It's a picture of a man, sitting on some kind of throne. It's colourful, and amazingly detailed. A small dragon rests its head on his knee, looking for all the world like some kind of faithful dog. The man's eyes are obsidian, and his hair is jet black, slovenly, some of it sweeping over his eyes. I frown slightly, as I turn to look at the wall behind me. There's no picture, just a tapestry. I turn back to look at the painting again and realize that one hand rests on a sword hilt, whereas the other seems to be cupped, as though an object is meant to be placed there. I know instantly, that this is what the orb is for. Without hesitation, I put it in.

The painting slides to one side, revealing a secret passageway. I walk inside, using the power of Ifrit to light the way for me. The smell of death is getting stronger, it makes me almost sick to my stomach. The passageway suddenly opens out into an underground cavern. I recall Ifrit's power, there are torches in the brackets on the wall, and all of them are brightly lit. What really catches my attention though, are the coffins.

Sleek, black and gleaming, there's about fifty of them standing against the walls. What is this place? I hear a faint moan from in front of me. I search around, but there's no one in here but me. Unless…

The moan came from one of the coffins…

Feeling sick to my stomach, but knowing I can't let someone die alone like that, I go to each coffin in turn and pry it open. The scent of death stinks out the whole place. My stomach gives a sudden lurch but eventually, I gain a hold of myself. I've seen death too many times. Usually I'm the one who's causing it.

By the time I get to the tenth coffin, I've become accustomed to the smell of the dead. I sigh as I open the next coffin but promptly gasp as I see the contents that lie within it.

---

Reiko.

The first thought that enters my head is "How?". How can Reiko be here when he died? There were ashes there, I heard him scream as he died. How can he be here? How? And why is he here? How did he get here? How did he escape? Is this Reiko or is this some long lost twin brother that he never knew about? What's going on?

The second thing I notice, is the fact that Reiko is in one hell of a condition. His eyes open so then I can see a sliver of hazel, and they rest on me, but they don't seem to recognize me. He narrows them slightly, ashen faced before he relaxes.

'Dan…te?' he croaks. I nod and then quietly reach out, stroking a lock of hair away from his eyes. He's terribly weak, he shivers as he lies in the coffin. His eyes are misted over, he swallows with difficulty, as though even that simple natural action is too much for him to bear. He shifts his position slightly but promptly cries out in pain. I hasten to quieten him, but trip over the edge of the coffin, landing so then I am sprawled over him in an undignified heap. He shrinks away from me, or tries to, his face averted from mine. I can feel his body quaking underneath me. He's terrified. Of me. It hurts.

But can I really blame him? I lick at dry lips.

'Come on. I'm going to get you out of here,' I tell him. He stares at me and then shakes his head. He doesn't want to go with me. He'd rather be anywhere than with me. He does not say this, but the look in those eyes of his tells me all. I feel angry at him, angry and hurt. Can't he see that I don't want to hurt him? That I only want to help?

But did you really expect him to trust you so openly after everything? It may have been me acting for you but it was still your face he saw.

Why didn't he tell me? Why didn't he tell me to stop?

Don't you get it? Don't you see? Sometimes, his own vampire would be more than happy to take what he would get. At other times though, the vampire wouldn't rise. It was just him and him alone. He didn't want it at all. His vampire did.

I stare down at my friend with sudden understanding. I had raped him. No, the demon had. I shake my head, watching him.

'Reiko…Reiko…I'm…I'm so sorry. I…I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I never meant to hurt you.' I look at him pleadingly, trying to get him to understand, to forgive. But my words don't seem to do anything to help, because that is all they are. They're just words. They don't help to take away the pain and trauma of everything I had unwittingly put him through. He stares at me, shivering still. He suddenly gives a short whimper.

'Run!' he rasps. I frown at him and slowly turn around, to be faced with a pair of crimson eyes. The woman has the same colour hair to match. She regards us with an expression of malicious delight. She reminds me of someone I've seen before. I narrow my eyes as I watch her. Suddenly, a burst of knowledge floods through me. I know who this woman reminds me of. Nevan.

She sashays towards us and gives vent to a high-pitched giggle. I keep my eyes on her, waiting for her to make a move. Reiko continues to sit in the coffin. His eyes are wide and fixed on the woman. She smirks towards him and stalks closer towards him. His shivering starts anew. He's terrified. What happened to him? He never used to be like this. Never. Even when he was faced against danger, he would usually still be able to form some sort of a wry smile. His eyes would turn to steel and he would clench his jaw. He would never stay in one spot, completely vulnerable.

'What did you do to him?' I snarl. The woman smirks and turns towards me.

'My mother always had a soft spot for those with the blood of Sparda running through them.'

Nevan's daughter then, I assume.

It took you this long to figure it out?

Yes, well. She is a rather delectable woman, don't you think?

Yeah, if you really go for trash like that.

You seem to enjoy living with it.

For a second, I don't know what the demon is referring to. Trish or the amount of junk that's in my agency.

'Reiko's not of the Sparda line.'

'No…but I've been watching and listening for a very long time. Waiting for the time when I, Nahema, will be able to meet and take the mighty son of Sparda for my own.'

'What's Reiko got to do with any of this? How did he get here anyway?' I risk a quick glance towards my friend. He seems to have calmed down slightly, but there's still something not quite right about him. It's not the fact that he's become so weak. It's not the fact that I saw him looking so helpless only a few minutes before. It's something else, something that I just can't seem to place. Nahema smiles slowly, like a cat toying with a mouse before going in for the kill.

'Like I said before. I have been watching you for a very long time. I saw everything that passed between you and the vampire. The day when he tried to commit suicide, his vampire took over. You know what vampires are like, stubborn and hard to kill. You can imagine that the vampire inside your friend had a thing or two to say and do when it became aware that Reiko was trying to end his life. It reached out for anything that was dark and could save it. It reached me.

'By this time, parts of Reiko's body was beginning to disintegrate, he was turning to ash. Already parts of him had begun the process. I had to act quickly. I brought him here, using the powers that my mother had passed down to me. No doubt you remember how my mother had the ability to warp from place to place? I did the same thing, and it saved Reiko's life. He owes his life to me.

'For days he remained comatose, his body trying to heal the damage that had been done to it from the sun. Eventually, he recovered, though his body remained scarred from the effects of the light. I told him what had happened, and I told him that I had saved him. He was enraged at the indignity of what you had put him through, he was enraged at the fact that he had been taken advantage of. But I charmed him, I told him that now he had the chance of gaining his revenge. He seemed to like the idea.'

She stops talking. She smiles that poisonous smile of hers, her eyes gleaming. And all this time, I can only remember something that Trish said to me_. '…It's odd…you'd think there'd be more ash…' _Nahema decides that she has watched my reaction long enough. She smiles again before she continues.

'You might be wondering why I saved him. What was in it for me? Well, I don't mind telling you.' Her voice rises and falls, almost like some kind of music, as though she's constantly singing. A lesser man, a human perhaps, may call it hypnotic. I just call it plain annoying. She smiles, her teeth gleaming, before she stalks towards me.

'I saved him. Yes, I saved him. But only because I knew that when you would find out that your darling precious vampire was alive, you'd come for him. I used him as a lure in order to get to you. Time passed though, and you still failed to show up. I got worried, and Reiko was getting more and more impatient. Why hadn't you come? Why hadn't you come?' She pauses again, her eyes distant, as though lost in the past. She suddenly seems to snap out of her trance and she looks towards me sharply. 'Eventually, I knew that some drastic action had to be taken. Something had to happen to get your attention. So I started to torture the vampire. He did the job perfectly, he screamed and he cried. He begged for mercy. He was a very interesting little toy until you walked into my domain.'

I look towards Reiko quickly. I suddenly realize what's so different about him. She broke him. He's so completely and utterly lost in his own fear and pain. He stares at me with those impossibly wide eyes, before they dart and stare at Nahema. He shivers slightly again, mutters something unintelligible under his breath before turning still and staring at me again. Looking at him, watching the pitiful display; it sets my blood on fire. I swore that I would never let anyone close to me get hurt, and Reiko's more or less lost his sanity because some psycho bitch used him to get to me.

There's only one thing that I'm certain about.

There's gonna be hell to pay for this.

---

We circle around each other; our eyes are both shining with the light of battle, though we make no move to attack each other. Reiko shifts slightly from where he still sits in his coffin and whines softly. His eyes widen, as though he has seen something that is visible only to him before he cringes and curls up into himself. We watch each other carefully, both of us daring the other to make a move. I should have known better than to rush forwards; I am the first to break. There had been a sudden thought that maybe if I rushed her quickly, she would be surprised and I would be able to capitalize. It was a foolish idea and I am sent sailing back through the air, coming to land on my back. A black cloud surrounds my sword and it slowly starts to rise in the air. Before I can make another move, the sword slams into my body.

Nahema's eyes burn with a fanatical glow. She paces towards me, her crimson eyes flashing momentarily. A ghost of a smile flits across her face as she stares at me.

'I thought you'd be more of a challenge. Did my mother really fall by your hands?' I say nothing, the pain washes over me and threatens to pull me into unconsciousness. The last time I was impaled, I survived. But this time, something's different. My body isn't responding to the attack, I'm not healing. I writhe painfully, my hand reaches to grab the hilt of the sword.

_Dante! Get up!_

I can't! Something's not right!

_Damn it! You're so pathetic! Must I do everything for you?_ The demon turns quiet as I continue to struggle. Soon, I'm too much in pain to even raise my head. My hand falls still and slams to the ground. My eyes feel so heavy, I can feel the cold surrounding me. What's happening? Is this death?

_Dante! _That's odd…the demon sounds so far away for some odd reason. _Dante!_ Far away…and desperate. _Dante! Stop trying to suppress me! If you die, Reiko will never get away from this shit hole! Get up, Dante! Is this how you betray your father? By surrendering and forcing yourself to death by refusing your demon to allow you to survive? GET UP!_

I groan softly, force my eyes to stay open as I relinquish the grip I had struggled so hard to achieve all through the night. The demon's spirit fills me and suddenly my vision turns red; the Blood Lust has returned. The world seems fluid now, everything seems crystal clear. This is what raw power is, this is the real meaning of power. I bask in it, thrilled at how alive I feel. I roar out loud, and wings burst from my back. It hurts; it always hurts, but only for a second. The wings unfurl themselves. I see only blood, Nahema's red hair and eyes are dyed an even darker crimson. She is backing away from me, her eyes are wide and frightened. She never really thought that I had such power. I know that look. Before seeing me in all my terrifying demonic brilliance, she had thought that she had known better than her mother. The dream is crushed. She's petrified.

The smell of fear is a terrible yet wonderful thing. I am fuelled by it, I crave for it, and my mind is focused on attaining more. I roar, my iridescent wings flutter before I take to the air and cannon towards her. She screams before she turns into her own demonic form. Bats surround her and charge towards me, electricity streaming from their wing tips. I am hit, and one of my wings are torn by the attack. I spiral out of control before coming to land on the ground.

I do not know how much time has passed since we have been fighting. Much more happens after that, but I can't remember. All I want is to kill, to draw blood and bask in the glory of death. But it seems as though it is not to be. My foe seems to have unleashed some kind of powerful attack; I cannot move because of exhaustion. What happened? I can't remember. The red mist is fading.

Soon everything becomes crystal clear. Though I still can't remember the details of the fight, I know that I'm in trouble. Nahema stalks towards me, her bats floating and hovering about her.

'So…this is how it all ends then. I'm finally able to claim my prize. You put up a good fight, but it wasn't good enough.' She smirks and circles around me, trailing her fingers over my body. I snarl in anger before struggling and trying to force my body to move.

I can't help you anymore… 

I know…

I tried…If only you had more control of yourself.

Control? Me? If only _you_ wouldn't have possessed me so completely! We might not have been in this mess had you been able to let me think in my demon form!

Well…let's not point fingers just yet…We need to find a way out of here.

Now you're making sense.

I watch as Nahema keeps walking, looking annoyingly pleased with herself for trapping me like this. I can feel her guard beginning to loosen; she's becoming overconfident. I take my chance and a blast of fire escapes from my gauntlets. Nameha shrieks with anger as it hits her head on. She's blasted back by the attack and she smashes into the wall. I slowly get to my feet but gasp with pain as I immediately feel the spell strengthening yet again. I fall to my knees, frozen in that position. Nahema snarls as she makes her way towards me. One side of her face is totally charred, marring her looks. She runs a hand over the burns, winces, and then leaves it alone.

'I was going to let you live but this is unforgivable!' Black energy starts to concentrate in her hand. 'Now die!' I close my eyes and brace myself for waves of pain and eventually death. Nothing happens. Suddenly there's a piercing scream and I hear something fall to the ground with a thud. I quickly open my eyes and look up. Nahema is dead. Her eyes are wide and glazed over with shock. Reiko stands tall in front of me, his eyes are no longer wide and afraid. He looks almost back to his old self. Almost. Something's not right.

With Nameha's spell being broken, I can get up. The demon blood has already healed most of my wounds. Reiko stands there, his eyes burning into mine. They are narrowed until they're almost like little slits in his face. He reminds me of a cat waiting to pounce. I think of something to say to ease the situation.

'Reiko? Thanks for the he-' The vampire snarls quickly before I can finish my sentence, and bares his fangs.

'Don't! I don't need your thanks. I don't need your apologies. I don't need anything from you except for perhaps your death!'

Oh fuck… 

I hate to say it, but the demon took the words right out of my mouth.

---

He stands there, his eyes blazing with pure rage. I don't know what to do. I don't know whether I'm meant to go towards him, whether I stay silent, whether I try to diffuse the situation. Somehow, I know that no matter what I try to do, it will end up making matters even worse. What I mistakenly did to him was awful. I can't forgive myself, so how can I expect that Reiko will find it in himself to forgive me? He's suffered so much because of me. He's suffered at my hands, and then at Nameha's. That was my doing as well. She used him to get to me.

I lick at dry lips before I move closer to him.

'Reiko…' I venture. He jerks slightly, as though me saying his name has stung him. He turns those brilliant eyes onto me.

'How can you dare to say my name like that after everything you did to me?'

The look he gives me is one that speaks of his rage and his suffering at my hands and the hands of Nahema. His hazel eyes burn into mine, he trembles slightly, but I know from the maddened glow in his eyes that it isn't because of fear. I know from my past fights with him that Reiko could very well lunge out at me with all the grace, speed and strength of a jaguar on the hunt, but I also know from my past experiences with him that the vampire is holding back. I am grateful, yet at the same I time I am puzzled. I can't deny him the right for wanting to kill me. I can't blame him for not wanting to forgive me, for wanting to end all this with a fight. How can I ask for his forgiveness when I know that I can't forgive myself? I know one thing; that I would do anything for him and give him anything he wanted as long as it made him happy after all that put him through. Somehow though, I know that even if I did his bidding for a millennium, it still would not be enough.

He still has not moved, it is almost as though he is undecided as to what he should do. I draw my sword in readiness, trying to decide for him. Maybe if he sees me ready to do battle, maybe he'll be influenced. His eyes dart towards my sword and then watches silently as the light reflects off my blade, leaving patterns on the wall. He turns around, his back facing towards me, and pads towards the coffins, where I had found him. He stares down at the ones I had opened, at the decayed remains of Nahema's previous victims. He still has his back towards me; I can't tell what it is that he may be thinking.

'Those poor souls…' he suddenly says, his voice little more than a sigh. That is another thing I admire about him; his compassion. He can be strange like that; sometimes he holds more compassion for complete strangers rather than his friends. It's almost as though it is because he has been around his friends, that he knows what their capabilities are. He's always been astute like that. You might not know what your own strengths and weaknesses are, but he knows. Because those are people that he has never met, he doesn't know their capabilities, and so feels honour bound to help.

He stands there motionless, just staring down at the coffins. Finally, he turns to me again, and his eyes are soft and shining with something akin to sorrow, completely opposite to the fiery anger he had displayed only a few moments earlier. I'm unsure as to whether I should move towards him, or whether I should just stay where I am.

_Personally, I'd like to stay here, thanks._

Since when have I taken into account what you want?

_Since never, but it always pays to be somewhat persistent. _The demon's tone sounds rueful. I shake my head slightly, hesitate, and then take a step forward. I'm not scared and I'm also not stupid; Reiko could be laying a trap and trying to lull me into a false sense of security. The demon hisses in irritation.

_Why do you insist upon moving towards him when you know the danger you are taking?_

Because, before you started acting as my subconscious or whatever, he was my friend. He still is. Apart from Trish, he's the only one I can trust without reluctance to fight alongside me. If he's still the guy I know, then he'd be too honourable for tricks.

_Never trust a vampire,_ the demon mutters dryly.

He's the exception. The demon gives a snort of impatience at that comment. I join Reiko's side. He slowly looks towards me, but his face is open and honest, he's letting me read him like a book, something he's never really let me done before. He nearly always keeps his feelings under wraps, always under a dark shroud that no one can ever really access, sometimes even he can't. He's odd like that. Sometimes, I don't understand him, but I guess that's what I like about him, that he's so much of an enigma.

But now he stands before me, his eyes are dimmed slightly with sadness.

'Did Nahema do this as well?' he asks, gesturing towards the other nine coffins. I hesitate before nodding.

'Probably.'

'…those poor souls…' He turns quiet again, shaking his head in disbelief.

'She's gone now,' I say, trying to reassure him.

'Yes…but it all seems so pointless, such a waste. There was no real vengeance…there was no sense of justice when I killed her. That was hate, nothing but raw unchecked hate. I never felt that way before. I've been angry before, yes…but…I was blind, Dante, _blind_! All I could see was this white-hot inferno of rage, and it consumed me.' I feel my heart go out to him, and I'm tempted to hug him or at least pat his shoulder in a reassuring manner, but I stay put. Reiko sighs again.

'I don't want to fight you, Dante.'

'What!' The word slips out of my mouth before I can stop it. Reiko looks at me quickly. A light fills his eyes, flickers, and then dies out. I frown slightly before I suddenly am filled with an understanding. He's smiling that half smile of his, his eyes are gentle and sad, there's no malice in them that there was before.

'Do you _want_ to fight?' he asks. One eyebrow is raised, and he continues to smile. His voice is tinged with sadness, yet it's back to it's usual laconic, yet drawling self. I don't want to fight him, yet only a few minutes ago he said he wanted my death. I don't know whether Reiko is actually trying to lay a trap or whether he's being genuine. I at once feel sad when these thoughts make themselves known. Where has all the trust gone? And then I know; it won't ever come back to the same degree. It will be for ever wounded, a painful lingering reminder of these times.

Reiko sighs before looking away, his eyes fixed on the rest of the unopened coffins.

'I sense no other life. They're all dead. There were others you know…not just me. They soon lost the will to live…and…'

'Don't…you're still here. That's all that matters. And she won't be able to do it to anyone else.' I blather on mindlessly, just wanting to keep him from thinking. Reiko changes the subject, but it's just as disturbing, even more so than the fate that fell on the contents of those locked coffins.

'I don't want to fight you Dante, because I'm scared of what I'll do to you,' he tells me. 'Something's happening to me. I don't like it. It stains everything, making me blind, only allowing me to see in red. I think my vampire is getting stronger.' I'm at once sympathetic and alarmed. Reiko has always been powerful, but he's facing the same problems as me. Our entities are getting stronger. I can relate to him.

Suddenly, I feel something changing within him, and I feel a rush of power wash over me. I shiver as I'm engulfed by it, and am suddenly filled with a restless need. As suddenly as it starts, it fades. I look towards Reiko, to see whether I'm the only one who felt it. As soon as I look at his face, I understand. That power was coming from him. I'm suddenly struck by a worrying thought. How long has Reiko been locked in that coffin? How long has it been since he last fed? I feel the raw hunger wash over me again and I lick at dry lips. Reiko winces, his hand moving towards his stomach. I pull him towards me. Fear fills those eyes instantly and he starts struggling against me, alarmed.

'Calm down…I'm not going to hurt you or do anything…'

'Let go! Let go of me!' I loosen my grip on him, and let him go. He pulls away from me, his face a picture of pure anger and revulsion.

'Look…just…feed from me, okay? I don't know how long you've been trapped in there, or how long it's been since you've had a meal. So you might as well feed from me.'

'Y-you?' He stares at me with huge wide eyes, as though unable to believe what he has just heard. I nod seriously, never letting my eyes waver from his face. He looks undecided before he winces again and another blast of his power drives through me like a lance.

'Fine!' he gasps before lurching towards me. I steady him as he begins to fall, we sway there like two dancers before we stand upright. I've only just realized exactly how weak my friend has become through lack of blood. He trembles against me, barely able to stand on his own two legs. His skin is cold to the touch, he hasn't fed for some time by the feel of it. I marvel at the fact that his legs were able to support his weight for so long; they quiver beneath him, threatening to buckle altogether.

I've never seen him looking so weak; his eyes are hazed over, his breathing has become unsteady and laboured and I can feel his body shaking, constantly shaking against me. His fingers fumble and hasten to tangle themselves in my clothing for added support. Carefully, cautiously, I slowly wrap my arms around him, to give him the steadiness that he needs. To my dismay, he flinches at my touch but then steels himself, as though forcing himself to relax.

Then finally we're there. His shivering stops, my arms have encircled him and his grip on me loosens slowly. I try not to move, hardly daring to breathe as Reiko's eyes slowly close, and as his head falls forward to rest against my chest, the top of his head coming to rest just below my chin. Despite the fact that he's been locked in a coffin for only God knew how long, I can still smell his trademark scent; the thing that screamed of power, of money and of something else that I can never determine. Whatever it is, it just helps to define Reiko all the more.

I want my demon to stop playing these games with me; this is wrong. Reiko s my friend, not my lover. The demon keeps warping everything. I just want it to stop, to stop making me think I love him like that. I love Reiko like a brother, more than I have ever loved my real brother at any rate. Why did my demon come along and spoil a great thing that we had? Is it really true that no matter how much I love something and cherish it, life will screw me and take it away? So far it seems true. My mother and father; I loved them and they were taken from me abruptly. Reiko had the same happen to him with his parents. He knows me, he understands this pain, even though I have no clear memories of my mother, whereas he does and he cherishes them all.

Then there was my brother, Virgil. I cared for him too; things were not always the way they are now. We used to be a team; we'd get ourselves in all kinds of trouble and together we'd get out of it. Now it's almost as though we live to get each other into shit and hope that the other won't be able to come out of it in one piece. When did it all go wrong for us? When and why?

And now finally, this. Reiko. A decent friendship, the only one I've ever really had apart from Trish. That's been taken away from me too. He might still be here and alive with me but we'll never be able to fully recover from this. Never. It's at that point that I suddenly realize that Reiko has been very quiet and very still during the whole time I was reminiscing.

I shift him slightly, and he lets out a small reprimanding moan, opening his eyes blearily and watching me dazedly. I smile at him encouragingly before I carefully press his head towards my neck, murmuring to him all the time.

'Come on Reiko. You have to stay awake. You just got free, don't give that away so quickly. Come on…' He lets out another small moan and he struggles briefly against my touch before he allows himself to be guided to my neck. He sounds so young, and his wasted appearance doesn't help to lessen the illusion. I gasp slightly as his flesh touches the skin of my neck. He's cold to the touch. I brace myself for the fangs to sink in but nothing happens. He's too exhausted to move for himself. I bite my lip anxiously before unwrapping one arm from around him, forming my fingers into the claws of a devil and slashing them across my neck. For anyone else it would be dangerous, but I know that my blood will heal the wound.

My blood also seems to do something else. Reiko stirs restlessly against me, making a faint mewling sound. The power of his hunger rushes over me, wave after wave. It's furious, almost panicky, and I'm taken by complete surprise when Reiko sinks his fangs into my neck. I cry out in pain, my eyes widening. But then slowly, the pain is washed away to be replaced by something else. Pleasure? But that can't be right! What they say about a vampire's bite is surely just a myth, right? Well, it seems as though I'm wrong. This feels fantastic.

I feel aware of everything. I can feel Reiko's lips moving against my neck, sending shivers racing through my body every time he does so. I can suddenly feel and appreciate the nearness of him, can feel him as his body becomes warm. He presses close against me, hungry for more. I don't mind and I don't care, just as long as this pleasure never ends.

_Dante! _I moan softly with pleasure, as well as with irritation.

What now?

_You must get him to stop! _My thoughts are becoming hazy, sleepy almost. I don't mind, it's nice. The demon's words worry me slightly though.

What? Why?

_Because he's trying to kill you._

He said he doesn't want to fight me. He's fine. Let him drink from me, he needs it.

_His hunger isn't there anymore. Can't you feel it? _All of a sudden, I can. That strange tingling power has gone completely. I suddenly realize that other things have stopped. I can't feel Reiko's lips brushing against my skin, I'm not standing anymore; I'm on the ground. I don't feel Reiko's nearness either; he's standing over me, watching me carelessly. I'm no longer feeling pleasure, just a sickening pain. There's also something else that I feel, that I haven't felt for a long long time. Fear. Fear for my life.

'Reiko…' I call out to him, but my voice sounds as though it's far away and disembodied. 'Reiko…heal…heal the wound…please…' I sound as though I'm begging. I can feel my blood running down my neck, becoming sticky, and I can feel my demon trying desperately to heal the bite. It's not working, the only one who can heal me is Reiko. I'm filled with a hope that maybe he just forgot. He turns around and kneels down beside me, lowering his head.

'Tell me Dante, why should I?' He moves his head down towards my neck. A sudden sharp pain flares through me, and blood starts to trickle down the other side of my neck. Realization dawns on me; he's bitten me again. He's betrayed me. He smirks, a mad twisted grin before he brings his face close to mine. 'Why should I stop and show mercy when you never stopped for me? I begged and I pleaded but that never stopped you!' His eyes flare crimson and he stares at me contemptuously. I shiver, blood is rising in my eyes, everything's turning red.

'…didn't…want to fight…thought you…we were…friends…' I gasp. He sneers at me in reply.

'Friends?' he snarls, 'Friends? Friends don't do what you did to me, Dante! Friends is a word for a school playground!'

'Worked…things out…we could…have…' The trembling has become worse. I can't think clearly. I can hear my demon saying something, but I don't know what. I close my eyes, trying to concentrate and trying to drown out the sound of Reiko's mad laughter.

Help me…

_I've tried everything…_It sounds dull, upset. But demons don't get upset…

I should have listened to you…you knew…

_Knowledge and wisdom are two very different things, Dante. I had neither. If I did, I would never have goaded you. If I had knowledge, then…maybe this would never have happened. _It pauses. _I'm sorry. _I find enough failing strength to let out a choked laugh.

Only now do we reach an understanding…

_Strange fate, isn't it? _Another gurgling laugh, more like a whimper.

Strange and ironic…

Reiko's laughing dies down…he watches me as I bleed and lose strength…He watches me as I slowly die. Another bolt of realization strikes me. I am truly a selfish selfish man. I had said that I would do anything for Reiko, anything at all. I didn't know that the only thing he wanted was my death. He refused to fight me yet he wanted me to die. Why? Another jolt of understanding as everything turns black. He had no power, he had to play on my own strength and weakness. I was right, he knew me too well, he knew me more than I knew myself. He used my blood to kill me. Oh God…this pain…it's slowly becoming numb. Am I finally healing? No…

Rage hits me, rage, humiliation, loss, and the awful bitter taste of failure. Summoning the last of my strength, I cry out to him.

'Reiko! You bastard!'

---

He dies. Reiko's smile slowly fades from his face, his eyes become dim and he slowly walks towards the body of the man he once called a friend. His face turns pale; he can't believe what he has done. He had once heard that revenge was bittersweet, but as he stands there now, in a pool of his friend's blood, he can't feel anything sweet. There is only bitterness, and the inconsolable sense of loss. He regrets, and he laments over his friend's death at his own hands. He knows his duty and he picks up the still warm body and places it in the coffin that he only recently vacated. He closes the lid carefully, but refuses to lock it, knowing only too well of being trapped while alive. Who knows, maybe Dante is bluffing? Maybe he's playing a trick? He tries vainly to keep hope alive, but the small flame quickly dies out. He killed him with his own hands; it is a certain death.

He sheds tears, tries to calm himself before walking away. Trish still lives and still waits for Dante's return. There is sad news that he must deliver. He turns to look at the final resting place of his friend, and grants it one last long look, and then finally, he leaves.

---

A golden flash of light fills my eyes, chasing away the darkness that had shrouded my vision. I gasp, choke on blood, give retching coughs before I'm finally able to breathe normally. I open my eyes, but the golden light has gone.

Where am I?

_We seem to be in a coffin._

Am I dead?

_No. You're alive. You owe Trish your life._

Trish? She's here?

_No. But do you remember the last time you had a mission?_

I remember it. It was about a month ago. I nearly lost my life that time too. Trish had cried her eyes out and had yelled at me before telling me that I took stupid risks. Then I went to bed.

_And when you were asleep, Trish probably put a golden orb in your coat._

What? Why?

_She is a clone of your mother, Dante. She cares for you as though you are her son._

I reel slightly with shock and with giddiness. _She's been acting like the woman who has her face...She's been acting like the woman who has her face. _I'm happy to be alive, and I owe it all to Trish.

_The loss of Reiko probably made her paranoid that she would lose you too._

A hot sickly wave of rage passes over me. Instead of washing away like it usually does, it stays with me, tainting my vision red with pure raw unconstrained hate.

Reiko…that bastard! He'll pay for this! He'll regret the day that he betrayed a Sparda!

_Dante…are you sure that this is wise?_

No one double-crosses me! He has to pay with his life!

My mind is made up; I get out of the coffin and unsheathe my sword and leave. I hear my demon sigh.

_And so the cycle continues, in a full circle that will never end…_

**_Start_**


End file.
